Rail



June 14, 1932. R FARlES ET AL 1,862,669

RAIL

Filed March 11, 1951,

- I N VEN TOR;

fioberi Eaves &

BY Gmries D Wang,

A TTORNEYS.

Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STTES PATENT OFICE ROBERT FARIES, OF ST. DAVIDS, AND CHARLES D. YOUNG, OF HAVERFORD, PENNSYLVANIA RAIL Application filed. March 11, 1931.

This invention relates to rails for railway track or the like. More particularly, the invention is characterized by the provision of a compound rail comprising an upper or wear section and a lower or base section, the two sections being formed to interlock with each other to efiect a rigid serviceable construc tion, and the sections being adapted to be easily separated so that when the upper section has become worn, it may be replaced, and the lower sectlon, which comprises the bulk of the metal, may be used indefinitely.

This invention constitutes an alternative arrangement to that already described in our co-pending application for U. S. Letters Patent, Serial N 0. 509,448, filed January 17 1931,

the primary object of the invention being to reduce the cost of maintenance of railway track by providing a readily renewable rail 29 head of superior wearing qualities.

Specific objects and advantages characterizing our invention will become more apparent from the description hereinafter of one embodiment or example of the invention, the

description having reference to the accompanying drawing, whereof Fig. I is a side elevation of a portion of a compound rail embodying our invention; and

Fig. 11 is a cross-section of the same.

In the drawing there is shown a compound rail mounted on ties 2 and comprising a lower base section 3 and an upper or wear section 4. The base section 3 is provided with base flanges 5 of customary form, a web portion 6, and an expanded head portion 7. The base section 3 is preferably made of open hearth carbon steel, whereas the wear section 4 is preferably made of high-grade alloy steel, such as manganese steel. On the head portion 7 of the base section 3, there is provided at one side an upstanding shoulder 8, on the inner side of which there is a recess 9, within which a tongue 10 of the wear section 4 is accommodated. The upstanding shoulder 8 embraces the side of the upper or rail section 4 near its wearing surface. At the center of the head portion 7 of the base section 3, an additional shoulder 11 is provided, and beneath this shoulder there is a recess 12. The

Serial No. 521,622.

shoulders 8 and 11 are arranged in stepped formation with a fiat surface 13 extending therebetween. On the upper rail section 4 there is a depending leg 14 formed at its bottom end with a tongue 15 which is adapted to be accommodated within the recess 12 of the base section 3 and which extends outward beyond the side of the base section. The depending leg 14 of the wear section 4 is so proportioned that its vertical surface at the gage side extends slightly beyond the surface 16 of the head portion 7 of the base section 3. The bottom surface of the wear section 4 is preferably concaved slightly, as shown at 28, to prevent a center bound condition arising between the two constituent parts of the rail.

The wear section 4 is assembled upon the base section 3 by sliding it laterally to the position shown in the drawing, in which relative movement between the sections in a vertical direction is restrained by reason of the engagement of the tongues 10 and 15 of the wear section 4 within the recesses 9 and 12 beneath the shoulders 8 and 11 of the base section 3.

Relative movement of the upper and lower sections of the rail in a lateral direction is restrained by means of a retaining member 29 preferably in the form of a fiat bar or a series of clips similar in section. In the example illustrated, the retaining bar 29 comprises a rounded bottom portion 1? bearing against the web 6 of the base section 3 of the rail, an intermediate perforated portion 18 having a substantially flat outer surface 19, and a top portion 20 extending outward and upward to a point opposite the-recess 12 where it bears upon the depending leg 14 of the wear section 4. The top portion 20 of the bar 29 is preferably tapered and its engagement with the leg 14 of the wearsection 4 is at a point sufficiently below the tread of the rail so as to be substantially clear of the flanges of the wheels of passing vehicles, even after considerable wear has taken place on the removable upper section 4. The top portion 20 of the bar 29 bears solely upon the upper rail section 4. At the intermediate portion 18 of the retaining bar 29, fastening means are provided in the form of bolts 21, 193

the heads of which bear upon the flat surface 19 of the bar 29. The body portion of each bolt 21 passes through the retaining bar 29 and through a hole 23 in the web portion 6 of the base section 3. The threaded end 24 of each bolt 21 is engaged by a nut 25 at the opposite side of the rail. Behind the nuts 25, spacers 26 and lock-washers 27 may be provided. From the above description it will be seen that the retaining bar 29 is in effect fulcrumed at the point of engagement between its rounded bottom portion 1'? and the web 6 of the base section 3, and that the tightening of the nuts 25 on the bolts 21 serves to draw inward the top portion 20 of the retaining bar 29 topress the same firmly against the depending leg 1% of the wear section 4, and thus securely maintain the two sections of the rail against separation in a lateral direction. The rail sections 3 and l, by virtue of the tongues and grooves formed thereon, are restrained against separation in a vertical direction, and the addition of the retaining bar 29 serves, therefore, to restrain any movement whatever between the two rail sections. Before assembling the wear section 4 upon the base section 3, the contiguous surfaces of these sections are preferably coated with heavy graphitic grease which prevents the sections from rusting together.

hen after a long period of service the rail section 4: becomes worn and requires replacement, the substitution of a new wear section may be readily effected by loosening the nuts 25 and drawing the retaining bar 29 clear of the head 7 of the base section 3 to an extent permitting the tongue 15 of the wear section 4 to be disengaged from the corresponding recess 12 in the base section 3. The wear section L may then be removed in an obvious manner and a new wear section substituted for it.

The joints provided between adjoining ends of base sections 8, and the wear sections 1- are preferably staggered as described in our co-pending application, to which reference has been made, and the manner in which the adjoining rail sections are spliced together forms no part of the present invention which contemplates the use of a variety of forms of joints and splicing members. Preferably, however, the retaining bar 29 is coextensive with the base section 3, and the bolts 21 are provided at intervals, say every three or four feet.

In contrast with the commonly used T- form rail in which the head portion is integral with the base, the compound rail of this invention has an important advantage in that it reduces greatly the hazard of accidents caused by the breaking of either member, as in the event of a break in the upper or lower section, these sections being supported by each other are retained in place.

While we have described our invention in some detail, and with reference to a specific embodiment thereof, it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form of the construction described without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims hereto annexed. For example, the form of joints selected for interlocking the upper and lower sections of the rails, and the form of the retaining bar used for restraining the sections against relative lateral movement, admit of obvious variations.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A rail comprising upper and lower scctions formed with interlocking surfaces restraining separation of the sections in a vertical direction, said lower section including an upstanding shoulder embracing one side of the upper rail section near the wearing surface thereof, and a retaining member hav-' ing its base portion fulcrumed on the lower rail section and its top portion bearing solely on the upper rail section opposite the aforesaid shoulder to restrain separation of said sections in a lateral direction.

2. A rail comprising upper and lower sections formed with interlocking surfaces restraining separation of the sections in a vertical direction, said lower section including Li an upstanding shoulder embracing one side of the upper rail section near the wearing surface thereof, a retaining member having its base portion fulcrumed on the lower rail section and its top portion bearing solely on the upper rail section opposite the aforesaid shoulder to restrain separation of said sections in a lateral direction, and means for clamping the intermediate portion of said retaining member to the lower rail section.

3. A rail comprising upper and lower sections formed with interlocking surfaces restraining separation of the sections in a vertical direction, said lower section including a web and a head having an upstanding shoulder embracing one side of the upper rail section near the wearing surface thereof, and a retaining bar extending longitudinally of the rail sections, said bar having a top portion bearing against the upper section oppo-, I 

